Instrumented fluid-surfaced electrode

ABSTRACT

An electrochemical device (such as a battery) includes at least one electrode having a fluid surface and one or more sensors configured to detect an operating condition of the device. Fluid-directing structures may modulate flow or retain fluid in response to the sensors. An electrolyte within the device may also include an ion-transport fluid, for example infiltrated into a porous solid support.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Related Applications”) (e.g., claims earliestavailable priority dates for other than provisional patent applicationsor claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e) for provisional patentapplications, for any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of the Related Application(s)). All subject matter ofthe Related Applications and of any and all parent, grandparent,great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Applications isincorporated herein by reference to the extent such subject matter isnot inconsistent herewith.

Related Applications

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/462,205, entitled FLUID-SURFACED ELECTRODE,naming Geoffrey F. Deane, Bran Ferren, William Gates, W. Daniel Hillis,Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare,Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Thomas A.Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood asinventors, filed Jul. 29, 2009, which is currently co-pending, or is anapplication of which a currently co-pending application is entitled tothe benefit of the filing date.

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation or continuation-in-part. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit ofPrior-Filed Application, USPTO Official Gazette Mar. 18, 2003, availableat http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/og/2003/week11/patbene.htm.

The present Applicant Entity (hereinafter “Applicant”) has providedabove a specific reference to the application(s) from which priority isbeing claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understands that thestatute is unambiguous in its specific reference language and does notrequire either a serial number or any characterization, such as“continuation” or “continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S.patent applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicantunderstands that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Applicant is designating the present applicationas a continuation-in-part of its parent applications as set forth above,but expressly points out that such designations are not to be construedin any way as any type of commentary and/or admission as to whether ornot the present application contains any new matter in addition to thematter of its parent application(s).

BACKGROUND

Recent attention to “green” generation of energy has produced a varietyof new processes and refinements of existing methods for providingelectrical power. However, many renewable energy sources (e.g., solarpower and wind power) may be only intermittently available, thuspossibly requiring substantial storage capacity in order to provideelectricity on demand. Even continuously-available power sources (e.g.,nuclear) may benefit from electrical energy storage allowingintermittent peak loading in excess of continuously-available averagecapacity. Existing batteries nominally suitable for these purposes canbe expensive to operate, especially on a total unit energy cost basis(considering capital costs and limited cycle lifetimes, especiallydeep-cycle lifetimes).

Further, existing batteries may have energy densities substantiallybelow those of fossil fuels, thus motivating continued primary use ofhydrocarbon fuels for personal transport despite known negative effectsof the use of hydrocarbons for such purposes. Improved batterytechnology could enable more widespread use of electric vehiclessupported by “green” power generation.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, an electrochemical device includes two electrodes, anelectrolyte, and a sensor. The electrolyte is arranged to conduct anionic current from a first electrolyte surface in contact with one ofthe electrodes to a second electrolyte surface in contact with anotherof the electrodes. At least one of the electrodes includes anelectrochemically active fluid layer, a surface of the electrochemicallyactive fluid layer being in contact with the electrolyte. The sensor isconfigured to detect an operating condition of the electrochemicaldevice in proximity to the surface of the electrochemically active fluidlayer in contact with the electrolyte. The device may further include acontroller, which may be configured to respond to a signal from thesensor by modifying an operating parameter of the electrochemicaldevice. The controller may include a memory or a transmitter, and may beconfigured to respond to a history of signals from the sensor. Thedevice may include multiple sensors, which may be configured to detectthe same or different operating conditions (e.g., chemical composition,chemical activity, ion density, density, temperature, flow velocity,flow direction, viscosity, or surface tension of the electrochemicallyactive fluid layer, or temperature, magnetic field magnitude, magneticfield direction, electrochemical potential, current, current density,distance between two surfaces of the device, position of a portion of asurface of the electronic device, or gradients of any of the foregoing),at the same or different locations within the device. At least one ofthe electrodes may include a solid support, to which theelectrochemically active fluid layer may cling by a surface energyeffect. This solid support may include a fluid-directing structure,which may be configured to adjust a flow parameter of theelectrochemically active fluid layer in response to an operatingcondition detected by the sensor(s). The electrolyte may be furtherarranged to conduct an ionic current from the second electrolyte surfaceto the first electrolyte surface (i.e., to run in reverse). Theelectrolyte may include a solid surface (e.g., impervious to theelectrochemically active fluid) or an ion-transport fluid through whichan ion can move to produce the ionic current. The electrochemicallyactive fluid may include a liquid metal, an ionic fluid, a finelydispersed metal, a finely dispersed semi-metal, a finely dispersedsemiconductor, or a finely dispersed dielectric. At least one electrodemay include one or more of the elements lithium, sodium, mercury, tin,cesium, rubidium, calcium, magnesium, strontium, aluminum, potassium,gallium, iron, mercury, tin, sulfur, oxygen, fluorine, or chlorine, andthe electrolyte may include a perchlorate, an ether, tetrahydrofuran,graphene, a polyimide, a succinonitrile, a polyacrylonitrile,polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, ethylene carbonate,beta-alumina, an ion-conducting glass, or an ion-conducting ceramic.

In another aspect, a method of supplying electrochemical energy includesconnecting an electrical load to a first and a second electrodeseparated by an electrolyte arranged to conduct an ionic current from afirst electrolyte surface in contact with the first electrode to asecond electrolyte surface in contact with the second electrode, andmonitoring a sensor configured to detect an operating condition of theelectrochemical device in proximity to the first or second electrolytesurface. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes anelectrochemically active fluid layer in contact with the electrolyte.Monitoring the sensor may include adjusting an operating parameter(e.g., a fluid flow parameter) of the electrochemical device in responseto a signal from the sensor, for example monitoring a condition local tothe sensor and adjusting a parameter local to the sensor in response.

In another aspect, an electrochemical device includes two electrodes, anelectrolyte, and a plurality of local sensors configured to detect anoperating condition of the electrochemical device. The electrolyte isarranged to conduct an ionic current from a first electrolyte surface incontact with one of the electrodes to a second electrolyte surface incontact with another of the electrodes. At least one of the electrodesincludes an electrochemically active fluid layer, a surface of theelectrochemically active fluid layer being in contact with theelectrolyte. Each local sensor is configured to detect the operatingcondition at a predetermined location within the device (e.g., at aplurality of locations within the device). The device may furtherinclude a controller configured to use data from one or more of theplurality of local sensors to direct an adjustment of an operatingparameter of the electrochemical device.

In another aspect, an electrochemical device includes two electrodes, anelectrolyte, and a first sensor configured to detect an operatingcondition of the electrochemical device. The electrolyte is arranged toconduct an ionic current from a first electrolyte surface in contactwith one of the electrodes to a second electrolyte surface in contactwith another of the electrodes. At least one of the electrodes is afluid-surfaced electrode including an electrochemically active fluidlayer and a solid support including a electrical control regionseparating two electrically distinct regions, a surface of theelectrochemically active fluid layer being in contact with theelectrolyte. The electric control region may include a passive or anactive element, or may include a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, adiode, a transistor, an integrated circuit, a switch, or a memory.

In another aspect, a method of maintaining an electrochemical deviceincluding an electrochemically active fluid layer includes monitoring asensor configured to detect an operating condition of theelectrochemical device, and adjusting a flow parameter of theelectrochemically active fluid layer (e.g., an electrode layer or anelectrolyte layer) in response to a signal from the sensor. Adjustingthe flow parameter may include, for example, initiating or terminatingflow within the electrochemically active fluid layer, or adjusting aflow rate, a flow direction, or a fluid characteristic (e.g., viscosity,temperature, chemical composition, chemical activity, ion density,density, or surface tension) of the electrochemically active fluidlayer.

In another aspect, a method of operating an electrochemical deviceincluding an electrochemically active fluid layer includes receiving asignal from each member of a plurality of sensors, each configured todetect an operating condition of the electrochemical device, using thereceived signals to determine a performance parameter for the device,and transmitting, displaying, or storing in a tangible storage mediumdata pertaining to the determined performance parameter of theelectrochemical device.

In another aspect, a method of operating an electrochemical deviceincluding an electrochemically active fluid layer includes receiving afirst signal from a sensor set configured to detect at least oneoperating condition of the electrochemical device, and iterativelyadjusting an operating parameter of the electrochemical device andreceiving a second signal from the sensor set, the second signalreflecting any changes to the at least one operating conditionsubsequent the adjustment of the operating parameter until the at leastone operating condition matches a desired value or range of values.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be inany way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments,and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and featureswill become apparent by reference to the drawings and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an electrochemical device including twofluid-surfaced electrodes.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an electrochemical device including threedensity-stratified fluid layers.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of an electrochemical device includingside-by-side fluid electrodes.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of an electrochemical device including twofluid-surfaced electrodes and a fluid electrolyte.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a DC-DC converter that may be used with anelectrochemical device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic of an electrochemical device including multipleDC-DC converters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless contextdictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in thedetailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting.Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made,without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matterpresented here.

As used herein, the term “fluid” includes any condensed phase lackingsubstantial shear strength, including liquids, pastes, gels, emulsions,and supercritical fluids. Unless context dictates otherwise, materialswithin electrochemical devices that are described as “fluids” have afluidic character at the working temperature and pressure of the device,which may be room temperature or another temperature (e.g., 0° C., 25°C., 50° C., 75° C., 100° C., 200° C., 400° C., 800° C., or any othersuitable temperature), and ambient pressure or another suitable workingpressure.

As used herein, the term “smooth,” when used to describe a surfacewetted by a fluid layer, includes a surface having a local radius ofcurvature significantly greater than the thickness of the fluid layer atthe location where the radius of curvature is measured.

As used herein, the term “cling,” when used to describe a fluid incontact with a solid, includes a fluid that wets or otherwisesubstantially adheres to the solid, for example with a force sufficientto maintain contact with the solid in some degree of opposition to agravitational force.

As used herein, the term “ionic current” includes any movement ofelectrical charge created by bulk diffusion or flow of ions. An “ioniccurrent” is said to flow from a positive potential to a negativepotential, even if it is produced in part or in whole by a movement of(negatively charged) ions in the opposite direction. A material“conducts” ionic current if it permits ions to pass through it to createa net flow of charge. These ions may be already present in the materialor may enter through an interface.

As used herein, the term “micropatterned” includes surfaces exhibitingstructures of roughly submillimeter size (including micron-scale andnanoscale structures), where these structures form predetermined shapesor have a predetermined effect on fluid thickness or flow in theirvicinity. Micropatterned surfaces may, but need not, include repeatingarrays of features, and may be constructed, for example, bymicromachining, lithography, molding (including extrusion), printing,stamping, replica-printing, or other processes.

As used herein, the term “microfeatured” includes surfaces exhibitingstructures of roughly submillimeter size (including micron-scale andnanoscale structures), where the shapes or flow characteristics of thestructures may (but need not) have a random, stochastic, or aperiodiccomponent.

As used herein, the term “impervious” includes substances that resistflow or penetration of a specified fluid. A substance may still betermed “impervious” to a fluid if it is gradually degraded by the fluidover time.

As used herein, the term “conductor” includes electronic conductors,ionic conductors, or semiconductors, unless context dictates otherwise.

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an instrumented electrochemical device 10including two fluid-surface electrodes, cathode 12 and anode 14,separated by electrolyte 16. In the illustrated embodiment, electrolyte16 includes a porous support infiltrated with an ion-transport fluid,but other embodiments may include other electrolytes, for example asolid electrolyte or a fully fluid electrolyte, or the electrolyte layermay include multiple regions having different character, such as twoimmiscible fluids, or two fluids separated by an ion-conductingmembrane. Each of the two electrodes includes an electrochemicallyactive fluid layer 18, 20 that clings to a solid support 22, 24. In someembodiments, solid supports 22, 24 may be chemically similar oridentical to their corresponding electrochemically active fluid layers18, 20, while in other embodiments, these structures may be chemicallydissimilar. In the illustrated embodiment, during use, electrochemicallyactive fluid layers 18, 20 flow along the surfaces of solid supports 22,24. In other embodiments, electrochemically active fluids 18, 20 may notflow during operation, or may flow only during selected periods ofoperation (e.g., during intervals of heavy power draw). In someembodiments (not shown), rather than flowing primarily along thesurfaces of solid supports 22, 24, electrochemically active fluid layers18, 20 may flow (at least in part) through the support, or in acombination of flow through the support and along the surface. Forexample, one or both electrodes may include a porous support infiltratedwith electrochemically active fluid similar to the illustratedelectrolyte 16, or a support including microchannels or otherfluid-directing structures through or along a surface of the support.Fluid-directing structures may be passive (e.g., microchannels) oractive (e.g., pumps or other fluid-moving devices).

Electrochemical device 10 further includes sensors 26, 28, positioned atthe interfaces between electrodes 12, 14 and electrolyte 16. Whilesensors 26, 28 are positioned at these interfaces in the illustratedembodiment, sensors may also or alternatively be positioned elsewhere inthe device (e.g., at the interface between an electrochemically activefluid layer and its solid support, within a fluid layer, within a solidsupport, within the electrolyte, or anywhere else within the devicewhere it may be found desirable to detect or to measure an operatingcondition or an operating parameter of the device). Illustrated sensors26, 28 detect a local chemical activity of a chemical species that isrelevant to an electrochemical reaction carried out within device 10(e.g., a carrier ion, a reactant, or a reaction product). In otherembodiments, appropriately placed sensors may detect chemicalcomposition, ion density, material density, flow velocity, flowdirection, viscosity, temperature, pressure, magnetic field magnitude,magnetic field direction, electrochemical potential, interface location,surface tension, or gradients of any of the above properties.

Electrodes 12, 14 further include fluid-directing structures 30, 32.These structures are arranged to modify fluid flow (e.g., by adjusting aflow rate or direction, by locally altering a fluid property such assurface tension, viscosity, or temperature, or by adjusting compositionof fluid flowing into the device, for example by mixing more or less ofa dopant into the fluid) in the vicinity of the structure 30, 32.Fluid-directing structures 30, 32 may be movable (e.g., MEMS configuredto change flow rate or direction) or fixed (e.g., conductive grids orcoils configured to apply an electrical or magnetic field, or heaters orcoolers to apply or remove heat, in order to adjust local fluidproperties or operating parameters). In use, device 10 may usefluid-directing structures 30, 32 to locally adjust fluid flowparameters in response to chemical activities detected by sensors 26,28. For example, if one area of cathode fluid 18 is found to be depletedof a reactant species, fluid flow to that area may be increased in orderto replenish the depleted reactant. In other embodiments, fluid flow maybe modified in response to other sensed conditions as detailed above, ora plurality of different sensor types may be used, in which case flowmay be adjusted in response to properties detected by any of thedifferent sensor types, or to a combination thereof. For example, inaddition to monitoring composition via sensors 26, 28, additionalsensors (not shown) may monitor output voltage (or local internalvoltage), and may adjust parameters such as local fluid composition inorder to maintain a desired voltage profile in space or time (e.g., aconstant voltage). In some embodiments, controller 34 (e.g., a feedbackcontroller or a controller acting in part on external inputs) may acceptinput from sensors 26 or 28, and may output a control signal tofluid-directing structures 30 or 32 in order to locally adjust fluidflow or position (e.g., by changing fluid flow direction, speed, volume,flow path, or a property of the fluid). In some embodiments, controller34 may use historical data, as well as or instead of instantaneous data,from one or more of sensors 26, 28. In some embodiments, fluid-directingstructures (not shown) may also be provided to adjust the flow ofion-transfer fluid through electrolyte 16.

Electrochemical device 10 may be used as a battery, in which case anelectrical load may be connected across cathode 12 and anode 14. Whenthe device is used in this fashion, at least one of theelectrochemically active fluid layers 16, 18, 20 may become depleted ofa species that participates in the electrochemical reaction, or enrichedin a product species of the electrochemical reaction. In someembodiments, this species may be replenished or removed by flow of theelectrochemically active fluid layers 16, 18, 20, replacing depleted orenriched fluid with fresh fluid. However, in many embodiments, it willbe desirable to regenerate depleted or enriched fluid, either in device10 or externally. According to one embodiment, depleted fluid may beregenerated within device 10 by “reversing” the battery, usingexternally-applied electromotive force to drive the species back intothe depleted fluid, thereby reversing the battery reaction andconverting electrical energy into chemical form. Similarly, enrichedfluid may be regenerated within device 10 by reversing the battery, thistime using externally-applied electromotive force to remove the productspecies from the enriched fluid, thereby reversing the battery reactionand converting electrical energy into chemical form. In embodimentswhere the device is used in either or both of these fashions, sensors26, 28 (or other appropriately placed sensors) may be used to monitorthe progress of the reverse reaction, and flow parameters, currents, orvoltages may be adjusted in response to the monitored progress. In someembodiments, a different electrode fluid (e.g., containing the sameelectrochemically-active species) may be employed during charging andduring discharging, and these two different fluids may be deployed onthe same or on different portions of the electrode.

Chemical composition, density, temperature, pressure, viscosity,rate-dependent shear properties, and vector velocity may all be used tocharacterize the state of a fluid component of a battery or otherelectrochemical device, for example to determine its energy storagecapacity relative to a given chemical reaction; fluid components whichare colloids, emulsions, or slurries may have additionalcharacterization parameters. Spatial gradients in these parameters mayalso be useful for locating inappropriately spaced electrode regions orlocal deviations from a more ideal chemical composition. In general,gradients along the surface of an electrode are expected to be ofminimal magnitude in order to minimize irreversibility, at least inareas remote from the electrode edge (e.g., farther from an electrodeedge than the local spacing between electrodes or a small multiplethereof). Chemical composition may be inferred, for example, by physicalmeans (e.g., particle or photon backscatter, transmission such assingle- or multi-line x-ray transmission, acoustic or ultrasonicsensing) or chemical means (e.g., electrochemical potential relative toa reference, mass density, measurement of one or more transportproperties such as thermal or electrical conductivity, viscosity orsound speed). Position of interfaces (e.g., thickness of an electrodefluid layer or the spatial coordinates of its surface) may also be usedto infer local reaction characteristics.

Potential field maps and associated ion-density maps in the electrolytelayer may be used for calculating internal irreversibilities andconsequent energy losses due to heating. In some embodiments, thesecalculations may supplement mappings of energy losses done bythermometry. Such spatial maps may be determined, for example, byvoltage measurements between the exposed tip of an otherwise-insulatedconductor and some potential reference. This exposed tip may bepositioned in a single location, or moved among a set of known locations(e.g., by an actuated boom), and the electrochemical device may includeone or more such sensors (e.g., an array of sensors), some or all ofwhich may be individually addressable. Such devices may be passive(simply measuring a reference potential) or active (e.g., applying avoltage waveform and observing the ensuing reaction and relaxation ofthe local electrochemical system, for example to measure composition ofthe proximate medium by analysis of the resulting polarographic signal).Current measuring devices (e.g., insulated loops of conductor of knownsize, shape, and orientation, Hall-effect current sensors, orelectric-field measuring devices) or arrays of such devices may be usedto measure local current densities, either passively or actively. Theset of measured current densities may be used, for example, to infer thecurrent distribution throughout the cell, for example by using themeasured current densities (and optionally other available informationsuch as the total current flowing in that portion of the device) toestimate the three-dimensional magnetic field within the cell.Alternatively, Hall-effect or other magnetic field sensors may bepositioned to measure local magnetic fields, which may be used tocalculate local current densities.

Any of the above-described measurements may be used to infer aninstantaneous and/or local thermodynamic efficiency of theelectrochemical device. This efficiency, for example, may be used toindicate a possible need to replace one or more of the electrochemicallyactive fluids (or to alter a concurrent process for refreshing thefluid), for example due to expending of an electrochemically-activecomponent, or to change the electrical operating conditions of the cell.

Any of the above-described sensors may be tethered (e.g., by aninsulated conducting wire) or untethered (e.g., transmitting its datawirelessly or by occasional direct contact for downloading ofinformation).

Electrochemically active fluids which may be used in the electrochemicaldevice include liquid metals (particularly metals liquid at ambient ormodestly elevated temperatures), such as mercury, gallium, sodium,potassium, or metallic alloys (e.g., GALINSTAN™, a near-eutectic alloyof gallium, indium, and tin, or sodium-potassium alloys), which may actas carriers for other metals such as lithium, magnesium, or calcium; avariety of organic and inorganic solvents (e.g., diethyl ether,tetrahydrofuran, or fluorocarbons); slurries or suspensions of anadequately-conducting material in a dielectric fluid; and ionic liquids(e.g., those described in Armand, et al., “Ionic-liquid materials forthe electrochemical challenges of the future,” Nature Materials8:621-629 (2009), which is incorporated by reference herein). Any ofthese may include dissolved salts or other compounds, or other speciesthat participate in the electrochemical reaction that powers the deviceor support ionic current flows (e.g., a suspension in a polarizeddielectric fluid of particles of a metal, metalloid, semiconductor, ordielectric). In some embodiments, a carrier fluid (e.g., GALINSTAN) isflowed over a “salt lick” reservoir (e.g., a solid surface, a honeycombor other high surface-to-volume ratio structure, or a fluid surface)containing an electrochemical species (e.g., lithium metal), dissolvinga portion of it and carrying the dissolved material into the device. Insuch embodiments, the reservoir may in some cases be renewed by runningthe device in electrical reverse, and depositing the electrochemicalspecies back into the reservoir (e.g., into or onto some of its internalcomponents). In either mode of operation, material may be loaded orunloaded onto the fluid passing through the reservoir by level-shiftingthe chemical potentials of the dissolved/suspended andprecipitated/deposited states of the material, for example withtemperature or pressure changes, with centrifugal or gravity-drivenseparation, or by filtration. In other embodiments, a carrier fluid maybe charged with a dissolved gas (e.g., oxygen) that subsequentlyparticipates in the electrochemical reaction, or may be reacted with asuitable gas, typically but not necessarily before the fluid enters thereaction chamber or reaches the electrode surface.

According to one embodiment, depleted or partially-depleted fluid(either electrode or electrolyte fluid or both) may be removed from thedevice, for example into at least one holding tank or reservoir (notshown). (In this context, a fluid may be considered “depleted” if theconcentration of a reaction product has been increased, as well as ifthe concentration of a reactant is decreased.) If its active componentis not completely consumed, it may be desirable in some embodiments torecirculate this fluid through the device again, optionally after somedegree of heating, cooling, or chemical reforming. The fluid may also bestored in a reservoir for later regeneration, either in device 10 asdescribed above or in another device (which may be at another location).For example, device 10 may be used as a battery to provide power to afixed (e.g., a building) or mobile (e.g., a vehicle) power consumer, andmay be “recharged” by removing depleted or partially-depleted fluid froma reservoir and replacing it with fresh fluid. The depleted fluid maythen, for example, be taken to a (possibly remote) recharging facilityfor recharging, thereby becoming available for reuse. In someembodiments, the power consumer may pay a price for the fresh fluid,which may depend in part on the concentration of electroactive speciesin the depleted or partially-depleted fluid, the fresh fluid, or both.(Other parameters which may factor into a unit price for replacementfluid may include the time of day, the day of the week, or prevailingprices for electricity or labor.) In some embodiments, the powerconsumer and the fluid provider may negotiate a mutually-acceptableprice and properties for the replacement fluid (e.g., composition orconcentration of electroactive species), and this negotiation (andoptionally, payment) may be carried out in part or in whole by apredetermined (e.g., software) algorithm on the consumer side, theprovider side, or both.

In some embodiments, the removal (e.g., drainage) of one or more fluidsmay also function as a temperature-regulation system for theelectrochemical device, in which case it may be desirable to heat orcool the removed fluid (passively or actively) before recirculation intothe device.

In some embodiments, sensors 26, 28 (or other appropriately placedsensors) may be used to monitor one or more electrochemical devices 10for potential safety problems (e.g., conditions which may lead tomispositioning of one or more fluids relative to their design positions,excessive rates of chemical reaction or of fluid motion, overpressures,excessive temperatures, fires, or explosions), and to rapidly deactivateor neutralize one or more of these devices to maintain safety. Forexample, control circuitry may be provided so that, if overheating inone electrochemical cell in an array of such cells is detected, theoffending cell is switched out of the array, and at least one of itselectrochemically active fluids is rapidly removed (e.g., by gravitydrainage, by action of a pump, in consequence of an applied stress suchas a pressure difference, or by a Lorentz force) before it can (further)damage its own structure or that of its neighbors, contaminate a fluid,or otherwise degrade the overall system. Alternatively, the cell may berapidly decommissioned by partially or fully isolating fluids from oneanother with a physical barrier, for example, by inserting anonconductive sheet between the fluids, or by rotating a set of“Venetian blind” style barriers into position. (In some embodiments,such barriers may serve a dual purpose as baffles during operation ofthe device. Such baffles are described elsewhere herein, for example inconnection with FIG. 2.) Conditions which may be monitored to triggerpotential shutdown of certain devices or regions of a device includecurrent, voltage, magnetic field, pressure, temperature, fluid level,fluid position, fluid configuration, fluid motion, acoustic, or lightanomalies. One or more of these conditions may be monitored to initiateor guide or control the operation of damage-limiting or risk-reducingsubsystems in the event of a detected malfunction.

In some embodiments, device 10 may include a temperature regulationsystem (not shown in FIG. 1), which may, for example, controltemperature by moving a fluid or gas through a portion of the device, bychanging the temperature of one or more of the electrochemically activefluids of the device (e.g., by circulation of part or all of the fluidthrough a heat exchanger), or by passively or actively moving a fluid orgas (e.g., air) around at least a portion of its external surface, forexample by free, drafted, or forced convection. This external surfacemay be at least partly covered with material or structures having aninsulating function, so as to assist in modulating the flow of heat intoor out of the device. Heating or cooling of the device may also oralternatively be accomplished electrically, for example by resistiveheating or using a thermoelectric effect (e.g., a Peltier-Seebeckeffect). In some embodiments, controller 34 may operate or directthermal controls, which may be responsive to device operatingconditions, for example in response to sensors 26, 28 or otherappropriately placed sensors. In some embodiments, different portions ofthe interior or exterior of device 10 may be maintained at differenttemperatures.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an electrochemical device including two fluidelectrodes, cathode 50 and anode 52, and a fluid electrolyte 54. Abattery including three density-stratified fluid layers is shown, forexample, in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0044725,“High-Amperage Energy Storage Device and Method,” which is incorporatedby reference herein. Conductive container 56 and lid 58 serve aselectrical contacts for the device. Heating elements 60 function tomaintain the battery at a suitable operating temperature.

In the illustrated embodiment, anti-sloshing baffles 70 are optionalinert supports which function to prevent excessive movement ofelectroactive fluids 50, 52, 54. In some embodiments, electroactivefluids may tend to move during use, for example because the whole deviceis subjected to an acceleration or because of thermomechanical orelectrodynamic forces within the device. In some cases, cell fluids orinterfaces between these electroactive fluids may develop circulations,oscillations, or “waves.” For example, as anode and cathode fluidsapproach one another, local current density increases between them, andLorentz forces due to interaction of the increased current density andambient magnetic field due to overall anode-cathode current flow willtend to reinforce the variation unstably, especially when the densitydifference between adjacent fluids is minimal. Baffles 70 may damp suchoscillations (or oscillations from other sources) to minimize excessivevariation. While illustrated baffles 70 are vertical, in otherembodiments, baffles may be oriented horizontally or obliquely. Bafflesmay form a honeycomb or web, for example an open-cell foam, and may beperforated or otherwise arranged to permit some transverse flow whilestill retarding excessive fluid motions, for example those that may leadto sloshing. Alternatively, fluid motion may be damped by selectivelybiasing (either transiently or continually) one or more conducting grids(not shown in FIG. 2) to suppress local current density, or to activelydamp electrodynamically excited fluid motions, as described elsewhereherein in connection with FIG. 4, or electroactive fluids 50 and 54 (or52 and 54) may be separated by a membrane arranged to be permeable toion transport but not to bulk fluid transport, which in some embodimentsmay be tensioned or otherwise arranged to provide some degree ofmechanical support. In some embodiments, such a membrane may be used topermit the use of fluid arrangements in which a heavier fluid ispositioned above a lighter fluid, or to allow vertical (or oblique)arrangements of fluids, instead of horizontal arrangements.

Sensors 62, 64 are positioned at the cathode/electrolyte interface andthe anode/electrolyte interface respectively. In the illustratedembodiment, these interfaces are mobile, as the thickness of theelectrolyte layer increases as the battery discharges and decreases asit charges. In other embodiments (not shown), these sensors may beplaced at fixed locations relative to conductive container 56, forexample by securing them with porous webbing or by affixing them toanti-sloshing baffles 70, or they may be mobile, for example beingaffixed to an actuated boom. In the illustrated embodiment, sensors 62,64 are configured to remain with their respective interfaces, forexample using surface energy effects or density gradients. (It will beunderstood that while a relatively small number of sensors areillustrated for purposes of clarity, in some embodiments, greaternumbers of sensors may be used.) These sensors function to detect one ormore interfacial operating parameters of interest, such as localconcentration or chemical activity of a species of interest. Differentsensors may detect the same or different operating parameters.

In the illustrated embodiment, sensors 66 are positioned at the innerwall of the device. These sensors also function to detect one or moreoperating parameters of interest. In some embodiments, sensors 66 may beused to detect the location of the cathode/electrolyte or theanode/electrolyte interface. Also positioned on the device wall in theillustrated embodiment are fluid-directing structures 68 (optional). Insome embodiments (not illustrated), fluid-directing structures may alsobe positioned within the device. In some embodiments, fluid-directingstructures may be responsive to operating conditions detected at any ofsensors 62, 64, 66.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to introduce or remove liquidsfrom the device of FIG. 2 during operation. For example, in the batterydescribed in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0044725,referenced above, during discharging, electrolyte layer 54 increases inthickness while cathode layer 50 and anode layer 52 shrink. If it isdesired to maintain electrode-electrolyte interfaces at known positions,it may be desirable to introduce additional cathode and anode fluid andto remove electrolyte fluid during operation of the battery.Introduction and removal of fluid may be controlled by a controllerusing information about the interface positions obtained from any ofsensors 62, 64, 66. In some embodiments, the composition or amount ofremoved fluid (e.g., electrolyte fluid) may be monitored outside thedevice in order to make inferences about the positions of theelectrode-electrolyte interfaces.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustrating an electrochemical device includingside-by-side fluid electrodes. Cathode fluid 71 and anode fluid 72 arecontained in impervious containers 73, which are submerged inelectrolyte fluid 74 within container 75. Solid rods 76 serve ascontacts for the electrochemically active fluid electrodes 71, 72.Anti-sloshing baffles 77 act to prevent excessive fluid motion withinthe device as described above in connection with FIG. 2. In otherembodiments (not shown), fluid motion may be damped by selectivelybiasing (either transiently or continually) one or more conducting gridsor portions thereof (not shown in FIG. 3) to suppress local currentdensity, as described elsewhere herein in connection with FIG. 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, sensors 78 are positioned on containers73, 75 near expected fluid interface locations, but sensors may bepositioned wherever in or around the device it is desired to measureoperating conditions, as described above in connection with FIG. 1 andFIG. 2. Optional fluid-directing structures 79 are also positioned oncontainer 73, 75 walls in the illustrated embodiment, but may be placedanywhere in the device where fluid flow is to be controlled. In someembodiments, fluid-directing structures 79 may be responsive to sensors78, 80. In the illustrated embodiment, sensors 80 are positioned at theinterfaces between electrode fluids 71, 72 and electrolyte fluid 74, butin other embodiments (not shown), these sensors may be placed at fixedlocations relative to containers 73, for example by securing them withporous webbing or by affixing them to anti-sloshing baffles 77, or theymay be mobile, for example being affixed to an actuated boom.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustrating an instrumented electrochemicaldevice 81 similar to the device of FIG. 1, but with a liquid electrolyte82 and with fluid-damping capabilities. Liquid electrolyte 82, cathodefluid 18, and anode fluid 20 flow along cathode and anode solid supports22, 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the interfaces betweenelectrolyte 82 and cathode and anode fluids 18, 20 are not perfectlyflat; variations in the interface have been exaggerated for clarity ofdescription. Controllable conducting grids 84, 86 have been positionedalong the surfaces of solid supports 22, 24 respectively. Currentvariations along the length of the device are monitored by sensors (notshown), which may be positioned on the solid supports 22, 24, at theinterfaces between electrolyte 82 and electroactive fluids 18, 20, orelsewhere in a circuit, for example at the DC-DC converters illustratedin FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. If current in one region is measured to haveincreased in comparison to adjacent regions, cathode layer 18 and anodelayer 20 may have approached one another due to fluid interfacevariations, as illustrated at point 88. In some cases, such variationsmay be metastable or unstable and may risk creating a contact betweencathode fluid 18 and anode fluid 20, which may then commence to react orheat excessively rapidly, as well as to electrically short the cell. Inorder to avoid the risk of such a contact, conductive grids 90, 92 maybe biased (e.g., transiently) in order to suppress local currentdensity, thereby reducing the forces which could otherwise act to movethe anode and cathode fluids together. Other means of preventinglocalized contact between anode and cathode contacts may includeapplying force to the anode and/or cathode fluids (e.g., using magneticfield coils), locally adding or removing fluid (e.g., though ports inthe electrode supports), reducing local conductivity by introducing anonconducting fluid or gas (e.g., gas bubbles) or by inserting a solidbarrier between the electrodes (e.g., inserting a plate between theelectrodes, closing pores in an existing porous barrier, or deployingthe “Venetian blinds” described in connection with FIG. 1). In someembodiments, it may also be desirable to polarize selected sections ofthe grids to minimize the effects of spatial inhomogeneities in chemicalcomposition of a fluid layer, for example by reducing local reactionrates in a region of the device where the local electrode or electrolytefluid composition, temperature, or voltage indicates that they have beenanomalously high. In some embodiments (not shown), grids of conductorscan be located within the electrolyte, and can be selectively biased tomodulate electric potentials or ion currents within the electrolyte.

FIG. 5 is an electrical diagram of a DC-DC converter 100 that may beused in conjunction with one or more electrochemical cells. FIG. 6illustrates an electrochemical device including multiple DC-DCconverters 100, which may be of the type shown in FIG. 5 or anothersuitable converter, such as a switch-capacitor voltage converter, anisolated (flyback-type or transformer coupled) converter (which may beconnected in series or in parallel), or a multi-stage converter. Avariety of potential converters are shown in “Switching Regulators,”National Semiconductor, Linear and Switching Voltage RegulatorFundamentals, available athttp://www.national.com/appinfo/power/files/f5.pdf, Horowitz & Hill, TheArt of Electronics, Cambridge University Press, 1989, pp. 355-365, andLenk, Simplified Design of Switching Power Supplies Newnes, 1995, (all,but especially at pp. 1-23), each of which is incorporated by referenceherein. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, cathode 102 and anode 104each include a solid support and electrochemically active fluid layer(not shown). Cathode 102 and anode 104 are separated by electrolyte (notshown), which may be, for example, fluid, solid, or mixed phase. In theillustrated embodiment, a plurality of corresponding regions (e.g.,regions that oppose one another across the electrolyte) of cathode 102and anode 104 are each connected to a DC-DC converter 100. DC-DCconverters 100 are then connected to produce an output voltage. In someembodiments, this configuration allows the electrochemical cell toproduce a higher (or lower) voltage for a given power output than thatcorresponding to its instantaneous electromotive force. DC-DC converters100 may be connected to the solid supports within cathode 102 and anode104, or to their fluid layers. In some embodiments, converterelectronics 100 may be temperature-regulated, for example by the flow ofelectrochemically active fluids, by flowing other fluids or gases, or byair convection (e.g., forced, drafted, or free).

In the illustrated embodiment, anode 104 includes optional controlregions 106 between connected regions. In some embodiments, theseregions may be insulators, while in other embodiments, they may includeactive elements such as diodes. Control regions 106 may be provided onthe anode, the cathode, both, or neither.

Many switching converters (such as that illustrated in FIG. 5) draw atime-varying current from the power source. In embodiments where it isdesirable to maintain a relatively steady electrical load on theelectrochemical cell (or on a subsection thereof), multiple voltageconverters may be arranged in parallel to switch with different relativephases, so that at any given time, some are drawing increasing currentand some are drawing decreasing current. This type of operation may beparticularly convenient when interfacing with utility mains or grids(which are typically but not necessarily polyphase), but may be usefulin other situations, as well. In embodiments where it is preferred tooperate the electrochemical cell in a pulsed mode (e.g., due todiffusion effects or to suppress the formation, growth, or persistenceof dendrites within the device), the converters may instead be arrangedso that a particular section of the electrode delivers a pulsed current,but the entire assembly delivers roughly constant average current.

In some embodiments, the converters may be used to generatealternating-voltage outputs, for example by switching a pair oftime-wise cyclical DC voltages which are out-of-phase relative to oneanother, connecting one or the other of them to the load in alternation(not shown). In this manner, the device may be a source of AC power. Ina similar manner, AC power may be applied directly to the outerterminals of the device and converted into a suitable DC voltage(including voltage level-shifting as appropriate) for use in devicecharging (not shown). In some such embodiments, the AC power circuitproviding power to the circuitry may be of a different phase than the ACpower circuit being provided power by the battery system, so that thebattery system may act as an electrochemical synchronous capacitor,simultaneously controllably phase-shifting AC power and sourcing orsinking some aspects of it (e.g., depending on input voltage phase andamplitude or desired voltage phase and amplitude). Such embodiments maybe useful, among other things, for supporting operational stability ofthe electric utility grid or system of which the device is an electricalpart.

In some embodiments, a battery system may be designed using thesemethods to charge at a somewhat lower grid voltage than that at which itdischarges, so that aggregated bidirectional voltage drops at theinterface with the grid are automatically compensated partially orfully. In such embodiments, the battery system can be made to appear tothe electrical grid as an ideal store of electrical energy, independentof its physical and electrical location within the grid.

A wide variety of chemical reactions may be used in the electrochemicaldevices described herein. In principle, any pair of the half-reactionsdescribed in a standard half-cell electrochemical potential table may beused at the cathode and anode, although reactions that are substantiallyseparated on an EMF-ordered table are preferred for some embodiments asthey will yield a higher device voltage. (An example table of standardhalf-cell potentials is appended as Appendix A; however, any of the manyelectrochemical half-reactions not listed in Appendix A may also be usedin the devices described herein.) In some embodiments, reactants thatare liquid at device operating temperature (e.g., liquid metals andliquid metal alloys) may be preferred. Exemplary anode materials includelithium, sodium, mercury, tin, cesium, rubidium, potassium, calcium,strontium, aluminum, and compounds containing any of these, whileexemplary cathode materials include gallium, iron, mercury, sulfur, tin,chlorine, oxygen, fluorine, and compounds containing any of these.Suitable electrolyte materials will generally include salts or othercompounds compatible with the chosen anode and cathode materials, andoptionally other materials not notably reactive with either of theelectrode fluids. In some embodiments, the electrolyte may includes twoor more distinct materials, separated from one another by a barrier (orby their own immiscibility) that precludes an unacceptable degree ofmixing while permitting passage of at least one electrochemically activespecies. Any of the above materials may include dissolved gases (e.g.,oxygen), which may in some embodiments participate in the overallelectrochemical reaction.

Many of the embodiments described herein have referred to a singledevice or cell. In some embodiments, any of these devices may beprovided in arrays, stacks, or other suitable arrangements, and may beelectrically connected in series, in parallel, or in a combination ofseries and parallel connections.

Various embodiments of electrochemical devices and methods have beendescribed herein. In general, features that have been described inconnection with one particular embodiment may be used in otherembodiments, unless context dictates otherwise. For example, therecharging facility described in connection with FIG. 1 may be employedin the devices described in connection with FIG. 2, or with any of theembodiments described herein. For the sake of brevity, descriptions ofsuch features have not been repeated, but will be understood to beincluded in the different aspects and embodiments described herein.

It will be understood that, in general, terms used herein, andespecially in the appended claims, are generally intended as “open”terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “includingbut not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “havingat least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but isnot limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood that if a specificnumber of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intentwill be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of suchrecitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage ofintroductory phrases such as “at least one” or “one or more” tointroduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should notbe construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by theindefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containingsuch introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “an electrode” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one electrode”); the same holds true for the use of definitearticles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if aspecific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited,it will be recognized that such recitation should typically beinterpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the barerecitation of “two fluid-directing structures,” or “a plurality offluid-directing structures,” without other modifiers, typically means atleast two fluid-directing structures). Furthermore, in those instanceswhere a phrase such as “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one ofA, B, or C,” or “an [item] selected from the group consisting of A, B,and C,” is used, in general such a construction is intended to bedisjunctive (e.g., any of these phrases would include but not be limitedto systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A andC together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, and may furtherinclude more than one of A, B, or C, such as A₁, A₂, and C together, A,B₁, B₂, C₁, and C₂ together, or B₁ and B₂ together). It will be furtherunderstood that virtually any disjunctive word or phrase presenting twoor more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, ordrawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities ofincluding one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. Forexample, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include thepossibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.” Moreover, “can” and“optionally” and other permissive terms are used herein for describingoptional features of various embodiments. These terms likewise describeselectable or configurable features generally, unless the contextdictates otherwise.

The herein described aspects depict different components containedwithin, or connected with, different other components. It is to beunderstood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, andthat in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achievethe same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement ofcomponents to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated”such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any twocomponents herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can beseen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionalityis achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components.Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being“operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achievethe desired functionality. Any two components capable of being soassociated can also be viewed as being “operably coupleable” to eachother to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples ofoperably coupleable include but are not limited to physically mateableor interacting components or wirelessly interacting components.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the artof circuit design has progressed to the point where there is typicallylittle distinction left between hardware and software implementations ofaspects of systems. The use of hardware or software is generally adesign choice representing tradeoffs between cost, efficiency,flexibility, and other implementation considerations. Those having skillin the art will appreciate that there are various vehicles by whichprocesses, systems, or other technologies involving the use of logic orcircuits can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, or firmware), andthat the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which theprocesses, systems, or other technologies are deployed. For example, ifan implementer determines that speed is paramount, the implementer mayopt for a mainly hardware or firmware vehicle. Alternatively, ifflexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly softwareimplementation. In these or other situations, the implementer may alsoopt for some combination of hardware, software, or firmware. Hence,there are several possible vehicles by which the processes, devices, orother technologies involving logic or circuits described herein may beeffected, none of which is inherently superior to the other. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that optical aspects ofimplementations may require optically-oriented hardware, software, andor firmware.

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described hereinhave been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from this subject matter described hereinand its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are toencompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as arewithin the true spirit and scope of this subject matter describedherein.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, otheraspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes ofillustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scopeand spirit being indicated by the following claims.

APPENDIX A Half-reaction 

E° (V) 

3/2 N₂(g) + H⁺ + e⁻ 

 HN3(aq) −3.09 Li⁺ + e⁻ 

 Li(s) −3.0401 N₂(g) + 4H₂O + 2e⁻ 

 2NH₂OH(aq) + 2OH⁻ −3.04 Cs⁺ + e⁻ 

 Cs(s) −3.026 Rb⁺ + e⁻ 

 Rb(s) −2.98 K⁺ + e⁻ 

 K(s) −2.931 Ba²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ba(s) −2.912 La(OH)₃(s) + 3e⁻ 

 La(s) + 3OH⁻ −2.90 Sr²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Sr(s) −2.899 Ca²⁺ +2e⁻ 

 Ca(s) −2.868 Eu²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Eu(s) −2.812 Ra²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ra(s) −2.8 Na + e⁻ 

 Na(s) −2.71 La³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 La(s) −2.379 Y³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Y(s) −2.372 Mg²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Mg(s) −2.372 ZrO(OH)₂(s) + H₂O + 4e⁻ 

 Zr(s) + 4OH⁻ −2.36 Al(OH)₄ ⁻ + 3e⁻ 

 Al(s) + 4OH⁻ −2.33 Al(OH)₃(s) + 3e⁻ 

 Al(s) + 3OH⁻ −2.31 H₂(g) + 2e⁻ 

 2H⁻ −2.25 Ac³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Ac(s) −2.20 Be²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Be(s) −1.85 U³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 U(s) −1.66 Al³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Al(s) −1.66 Ti²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ti(s) −1.63 ZrO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Zr(s) + 2H₂O −1.553 Zr⁴⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Zr(s) −1.45 TiO(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ti(s) + H₂O −1.31 Ti₂O₃(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 2TiO(s) + H₂O −1.23 Ti³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Ti(s) −1.21 Mn²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Mn(s) −1.185 Te(s) + 2e⁻ 

Te²⁻ −1.143 V²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 V(s) −1.13 Nb³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Nb(s) −1.099 Sn(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 SnH₄(g) −1.07 SiO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Si(s) + 2H₂O −0.91 B(OH)₃(aq) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 B(s) + 3H₂O −0.89 TiO²⁺ + 2H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Ti(s) + H₂O −0.86 Bi(s) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 BiH₃ −0.8 H₂O + 2e⁻ 

 H₂(g) + 2OH⁻ −0.8277 Zn²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Zn(Hg) −0.7628 Zn²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Zn(s) −0.7618 Ta₂O₅(s) + 10H⁺ +10e⁻ 

 2Ta(s) +5H₂O −0.75 Cr³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Cr(s) −0.74 [Au(CN)₂]⁻ + e⁻ 

 Au(s) +2CN⁻ −0.60 Ta³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Ta(s) −0.6 PbO(s) + H₂O + 2e⁻ 

 Pb(s) + 2OH⁻ −0.58 2TiO₂(s) + 2H⁺ +2e⁻ 

 Ti₂O₃(s) + H₂O −0.56 Ga³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Ga(s) −0.53 AgI(s) + e⁻ 

 Ag(s) + I⁻ −0.15224 U4⁺ + e⁻ 

 U³⁺ −0.52 H₃PO₂(aq) + H⁺ + e⁻ 

 P(white) + 2H₂O −0.508 H₃PO₃(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₃PO₂(aq) + H₂O −0.499 H₃PO₃(aq) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 P(red) + 3H₂O −0.454 Fe²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Fe(s) −0.44 2CO₂(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 HOOCCOOH(aq) −0.43 Cr³⁺ + e⁻ 

 Cr²⁺ −0.42 Cd²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Cd(s) −0.40 GeO₂(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 GeO(s) + H₂O −0.37 Cu₂O(s) + H₂O + 2e⁻ 

 2Cu(s) +2OH⁻ −0.360 PbSO₄(s) + 2e⁻ 

 Pb(s) + SO₄ ²⁻ −0.3588 PbSO₄(s) + 2e⁻ 

 Pb(Hg) + SO₄ ²⁻ −0.3505 Eu³⁺ + e⁻ 

 Eu²⁺ −0.35 In³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 In(s) −0.34 Tl⁺ + e⁻ 

 Tl(s) −0.34 Ge(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 GeH₄(g) −0.29 Co²⁺ +2e⁻ 

 Co(s) −0.28 H₃PO₄(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₃PO₃(ap) + H₂O −0.276 V³⁺ + e⁻ 

 V²⁺ −0.26 Ni²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ni(s) −0.25 As(s) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 AsH₃(g) −0.23 MoO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Mo(s) + 2H₂O −0.15 Si(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 SiH₄(g) −0.14 Sn²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Sn(s) −0.13 O₂(g) + H⁺ + e⁻ 

 HO₂•(aq) −0.13 Pb²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Pb(s) −0.13 WO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 W(s) + 2H₂O −0.12 P(red) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 PH₃(g) −0.111 CO₂(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 HCOOH(aq) −0.11 Se(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₂Se(g) −0.11 CO₂(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 CO(g) + H₂O −0.11 SnO(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Sn(s) + H₂O −0.10 SnO₂(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 SnO(s) + H₂O −0.09 WO₃(aq) + 6H⁺ + 6e⁻ 

 W(s) + 3H₂O −0.09 P(white) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 PH₃(g) −0.063 HCOOH(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 HCHO(ag) + H₂O −0.03 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₂(g) 0.0000 AgBr(s) + e⁻ 

 Ag(s) + Br⁻ +0.07133 S₄O₆ ²⁻ + 2e⁻ 

 2S₂O₃ ²⁻ +0.08 Fe₃O₄(s) + 8H⁻ + + 8e⁻ 

 3Fe(s) + 4H₂O +0.085 N₂(g) + 2H₂O + 6H⁺ + 6e⁻ 

 2NH₄OH(aq) +0.092 HgO(s) + H₂O + 2e⁻ 

 Hg(l) +2OH⁻ +0.0977 Cu(NH₃)₄ ²⁺ + e⁻ 

 Cu(NH₃)₂ ⁺ + 2NH₃ +0.10 Ru(NH₃)₆ ³⁺ + e⁻ 

 Ru(NH₃)₆ ²⁺ +0.10 N₂H₄(aq) + 4H₂O + 2e⁻ 

 2NH₄ ⁺ + 4OH⁻ +0.11 H₂MoO₄(aq) + 6H⁺ + 6e⁻ 

 Mo(s) + 4H₂O +0.11 Ge⁴⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Ge(s) +0.12 C(s) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 CH₄(g) +0.13 HCHO(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 CH₃OH(aq) +0.13 S(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₂S(g) +0.14 Sn⁴⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Sn²⁺ +0.15 Cu²⁺ + e⁻ 

 Cu⁺ +0.159 HSO₄ ⁻ + 3H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 SO₂(aq) + 2H₂O +0.16 UO₂ ²⁺ + e⁻ 

 UO₂ ⁺ +0.163 SO₄ ²⁻ + 4H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 SO₂(aq) + 2H₂O +0.17 TiO²⁺ + 2H⁺ + e⁻ 

 Ti³⁺ + H₂O +0.19 Bi³⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Bi⁺ +0.2 SbO⁺ + 2H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Sb(s) + H₂O +0.20 AgCl(s) + e⁻ 

 Ag(s) +Cl⁻ +0.22233 H₃AsO₃(aq) + 3H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 As(s) + 3H₂O +0.24 GeO(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ge(s) + H₂O +0.26 UO₂ ⁺ + 4H⁺ + e⁻ 

 U⁴⁺ + 2H₂O +0.273 Re³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Re(s) +0.300 Bi³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Bi(s) +0.32 VO²⁺ + 2H⁺ + e⁻ 

 V³⁺ + H₂O +0.34 Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Cu(s) +0.340 [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻ + e⁻ 

 [Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻ +0.36 O₂(g) + 2H₂O + 4e⁻ 

 4OH⁻(aq) +0.40 H₂MoO₄ + 6H⁺ + 3e⁻

 Mo³⁺ + 2H₂O +0.43 Bi⁺ + e⁻ 

 Bi(s) +0.50 CH₃OH(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 CH₄(g) + H₂O +0.50 SO₂(aq) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 S(s) + 2H₂O +0.50 Cu⁺ + e⁻ 

 Cu(s) +0.520 CO(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 C(s) + H₂O +0.52 I₂(s) + 2e⁻ 

 2I⁻ +0.54 I₃ ⁻ + 2e⁻ 

 3I⁻ +0.53 [AuI₄]⁻ +3e⁻ 

 Au(s) +4I⁻ +0.56 H₃AsO₄(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₃AsO₃(aq) + H₂O +0.56 [AuI2]⁻ + e⁻ 

 Au(s) + 2I⁻ +0.58 MnO₄ ⁻ + 2H₂O + 3e⁻ 

 MnO₂(s) + 4OH⁻ +0.59 S₂O₃ ²⁻ + 6H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 2S(s) + 3H₂O +0.60 H₂MoO₄(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 MoO₂(s) + 2H₂O +0.65 O₂(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₂O₂(aq) +0.70 Tl³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Tl(s) +0.72 PtCl₆ ²⁻ + 2e⁻ 

 PtCl₄ ²⁻ + 2Cl⁻ +0.726 H₂SeO₃(aq) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 Se(s) + 3H₂O +0.74 PtCl₄ ²⁻ + 2e⁻ 

 Pt(s) + 4Cl⁻ +0.758 Fe³⁺ + e⁻ 

 Fe²⁺ +0.77 Ag⁺ + e⁻ 

 Ag(s) +0.7996 Hg₂ ²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 2Hg(l) +0.80 NO₃ ⁻(aq) + 2H⁺ + e⁻ 

 NO₂(g) + H₂O +0.80 [AuBr₄]⁻ + 3e⁻ 

 Au(s) + 4Br⁻ +0.85 Hg²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Hg(l) +0.85 MnO₄ + H⁺ + e⁻ 

 HMnO₄ ⁻ +0.90 2Hg²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Hg₂ ²⁺ +0.91 Pd²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Pd(s) +0.915 [AuCl₄]⁻ + 3e⁻ 

 Au(s) + 4Cl⁻ +0.93 MnO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + e⁻ 

 Mn³⁺ + 2H₂O +0.95 [AuBr₂]⁻ + e⁻ 

 Au(s) + 2Br⁻ +0.96 Br₂(l) + 2e⁻ 

 2Br- +1.066 Br₂(aq) + 2e⁻ 

 2Br⁻ +1.0873 IO₃ ⁻ + 5H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 HIO(aq) + 2H₂O +1.13 [AuCl₂]⁻ + e⁻ 

 Au(s) + 2Cl⁻ +1.15 HSeO₄ ⁻ + 3H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 H₂SeO₃(aq) + H₂O +1.15 Ag₂O(s) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ag(s) + H₂O +1.17 ClO₃ ⁻ + 2H⁺ + e⁻ 

 ClO₂(g) + H₂O +1.18 Pt²⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Pt(s) +1.188 ClO₂(g) + H⁺ + e⁻ 

 HClO₂(aq) +1.19 2IO₃ ⁻ + 12H⁺ + 10e⁻ 

 I₂(s) + 6H₂O +1.20 ClO₄ ⁻ + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 ClO₃ ⁻ + H₂O +1.20 O₂(g) + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 2H₂O +1.23 MnO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Mn²⁺ + 2H₂O +1.23 Tl³⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Tl⁺ +1.25 Cl₂(g) + 2e⁻ 

 2Cl⁻ +1.36 Cr₂O₇ ⁻⁻ + 14H⁺ + 6e⁻ 

 2Cr³⁺ + 7H₂O +1.33 CoO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + e⁻ 

 Co³⁺ + 2H₂O +1.42 2NH₃OH⁺ + H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 N₂H₅ ⁺ + 2H₂O +1.42 2HIO(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 I₂(s) + 2H₂O +1.44 Ce⁴⁺ + e⁻ 

 Ce³⁺ +1.44 BrO₃ ⁻ + 5H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 HBrO(aq) + 2H₂O +1.45 β-PbO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Pb²⁺ + 2H₂O +1.460 α-PbO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Pb²⁺ + 2H₂O +1.468 2BrO₃ ⁻ + 12H⁺ + 10e⁻ 

 Br₂(l) + 6H₂O +1.48 2ClO₃ ⁻ + 12H⁺ + 10e⁻ 

 Cl₂(g) + 6H₂O +1.49 MnO₄ ⁻ + 8H⁺ + 5e⁻ 

 Mn²⁺ + 4H₂O +1.51 HO₂ ^(•) + H⁺ + e⁻ 

 H₂O₂(aq) +1.51 Au³⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 Au(s) +1.52 NiO₂(s) + 4H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Ni²⁺ + 2OH⁻ +1.59 2HClO(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Cl₂(g) + 2H₂O +1.63 Ag₂O₃(s) + 6H⁺ + 4e⁻ 

 2Ag⁺ + 3H₂O +1.67 HClO₂(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 HClO(aq) + H₂O +1.67 Pb⁴⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 Pb²⁺ +1.69 MnO₄ ⁻ + 4H⁺ + 3e⁻ 

 MnO₂(s) + 2H₂O +1.70 H₂O₂(aq) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 2H₂O +1.78 AgO(s) + 2H⁺ + e⁻ 

 Ag⁺ + H₂O +1.77 Co³⁺ + e⁻ 

 Co²⁺ +1.82 Au⁺ + e⁻ 

 Au(s) +1.83 BrO₄ ⁻ + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 BrO₃ ⁻ + H₂O +1.85 Ag²⁺ + e⁻ 

 Ag⁺ +1.98 S₂O₈ ²⁻ + 2e⁻ 

 2SO₄ ²⁻ +2.010 O₃(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 O₂(g) + H₂O +2.075 HMnO₄ ⁻ + 3H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 MnO₂(s) + 2H₂O +2.09 F₂(g) + 2e⁻ 

 2F⁻ +2.87 F₂(g) + 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ 

 2HF(aq) +3.05

1. An electrochemical device, comprising: two electrodes; an electrolytearranged to conduct an ionic current from a first electrolyte surface incontact with one of the electrodes to a second electrolyte surface incontact with another of the electrodes, wherein at least one of theelectrodes includes an electrochemically active fluid layer, a surfaceof the electrochemically active fluid layer being in contact with theelectrolyte; and a first sensor configured to detect an operatingcondition of the electrochemical device in proximity to the surface ofthe electrochemically active fluid layer in contact with theelectrolyte.
 2. The electrochemical device of claim 1, furthercomprising a controller configured to respond to a signal from the firstsensor by modifying an operating parameter of the electrochemicaldevice.
 3. The electrochemical device of claim 2, wherein the controllerincludes a memory.
 4. The electrochemical device of claim 2, wherein thecontroller includes a transmitter.
 5. The electrochemical device ofclaim 2, wherein the controller is configured to respond to a history ofsignals from the first sensor by modifying the operating parameter ofthe electrochemical device.
 6. The electrochemical device of claim 1,further comprising a second sensor configured to detect an operatingcondition of the electrochemical device.
 7. The electrochemical deviceof claim 6, wherein the first and second sensors are configured todetect different operating conditions.
 8. The electrochemical device ofclaim 6, wherein the first and second sensors are configured to detectthe same operating condition.
 9. The electrochemical device of claim 8,wherein the first and second sensors are configured to detect theoperating condition at different locations within the device.
 10. Theelectrochemical device of claim 6, wherein the second sensor isconfigured to detect an operating condition in proximity to the surfaceof the electrochemically active fluid layer in contact with theelectrolyte.
 11. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein theoperating condition is a condition of the electrochemically active fluidlayer selected from the group consisting of chemical composition,chemical activity, ion density, density, temperature, flow velocity,flow direction, viscosity, and surface tension.
 12. The electrochemicaldevice of claim 1, wherein the operating condition is selected from thegroup consisting of temperature, magnetic field magnitude, magneticfield direction, electrochemical potential, current, current density,and distance between two surfaces of the device.
 13. The electrochemicaldevice of claim 1, wherein the operating condition is a position of aportion of a surface of the electrochemically active fluid layer. 14.The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the operating conditionis a gradient of a condition of the electrochemically active fluid layerselected from the group consisting of chemical composition, ion density,density, temperature, flow velocity, flow direction, viscosity, andsurface tension.
 15. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein theoperating condition is a gradient of a condition selected from the groupconsisting of temperature, magnetic field magnitude, magnetic fielddirection, electrochemical potential, current, and distance between twosurfaces of the device.
 16. The electrochemical device of claim 1,wherein the operating condition is a local slope of a surface of theelectrochemically active fluid layer relative to a component of thedevice.
 17. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the at leastone of the electrodes includes a solid support, wherein theelectrochemically active fluid layer is configured to cling to the solidsupport by a surface energy effect.
 18. The electrochemical device ofclaim 17, wherein the solid support includes a fluid-directingstructure.
 19. The electrochemical device of claim 18, wherein thefluid-directing structure is configured to adjust a flow parameter ofthe electrochemically active fluid layer in response to an operatingcondition detected by the first sensor.
 20. The electrochemical deviceof claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is further arranged to conduct anionic current from the second electrolyte surface to the firstelectrolyte surface.
 21. The electrochemical device of claim 1, whereinthe electrolyte includes a solid surface impervious to theelectrochemically active fluid.
 22. The electrochemical device of claim1, wherein the electrolyte includes an ion-transport fluid through whichan ion can move to produce the ionic current.
 23. The electrochemicaldevice of claim 22, wherein the electrolyte further includes a solidstructure.
 24. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein theelectrochemically active fluid layer includes a liquid metal, an ionicfluid, a finely dispersed metal, a finely dispersed semi-metal, a finelydispersed semiconductor, or a finely dispersed dielectric.
 25. Theelectrochemical device of claim 1, wherein one of the electrodesincludes at least one element selected from the group consisting oflithium, sodium, mercury, tin, cesium, rubidium, calcium, magnesium,strontium, aluminum, and potassium.
 26. The electrochemical device ofclaim 1, wherein one of the electrodes includes at least one elementselected from the group consisting of gallium, iron, mercury, tin,sulfur, oxygen, fluorine, and chlorine.
 27. The electrochemical deviceof claim 1, wherein the electrolyte includes at least one materialselected from the group consisting of a perchlorate, an ether,tetrahydrofuran, graphene, a polyimide, a succinonitrile, apolyacrylonitrile, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, ethylenecarbonate, beta-alumina, an ion-conducting glass, and an ion-conductingceramic.
 28. A method of supplying electrochemical energy, comprising:connecting an electrical load to a first and a second electrodeseparated by an electrolyte arranged to conduct an ionic current from afirst electrolyte surface in contact with the first electrode to asecond electrolyte surface in contact with the second electrode; andmonitoring a sensor configured to detect an operating condition of theelectrochemical device in proximity to the first or second electrolytesurface, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodesincludes an electrochemically active fluid layer in contact with theelectrolyte.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein monitoring a sensorincludes adjusting an operating parameter of the electrochemical devicein response to a signal from the sensor.
 30. The method of claim 29,wherein the sensor is configured to detect an operating condition localto the sensor, and wherein adjusting an operating parameter includesadjusting an operating parameter local to the sensor.
 31. The method ofclaim 29, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting afluid flow parameter. 32-49. (canceled)